August, 2003

"The mission of Penn State Cooperative Extension is to extend nonformal outreach educational opportunities to individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout Pennsylvania. Cooperative Extension education programs enable the Commonwealth to maintain a competitive and environmentally sound food and fiber system and prepare Pennsylvania's youth, adults, and families to enhance the quality of their lives and participate more fully in community decisions."

In this Newsletter:

Message from the Director

I am pleased to welcome you to the first issue of Extension Directions, a Web-based quarterly newsletter created to enhance communication within the Penn State Cooperative Extension organization. Through the newsletter, the Extension Director's Council -- Ted Alter, Daney Jackson, Marilyn Corbin, and Jack Watson -- give you the latest, most up-to-date information about extension in Pennsylvania. The newsletter includes several sections, some of which provide you the opportunity to submit information and share your stories or thoughts.

The News to Know section summarizes the latest organizational issues that all employees need to know about. This section will include both administrative and programmatic information.

The Well Done section highlights a particular noteworthy extension education effort by an individual or team.

The We Are Penn State Extension Proud section recognizes an extension employee's outstanding accomplishments.

The Extension Spirit section enables Penn State Cooperative Extension employees to share meaningful work experiences, articulate the values and goals behind their efforts, and present inspirational ideas.

Send your suggestions for the Well Done, We Are Penn State Extension Proud, and The Extension Spirit sections to Margaret Koble, mak10@psu.edu. Nominations will be reviewed and selected by the director. The deadline for receiving nominations for the November issue of the newsletter is October 15.

We hope you find the Extension Directions newsletter both informative and noteworthy. Your contributions are essential, and we look forward to receiving and sharing your stories in the year ahead. Thank you for your commitment, hard work, and leadership.

Best regards,
Ted Alter,
Associate Vice President for Outreach and Director of Cooperative Extension

News to Know

Vice President for Outreach
Craig Weideman assumed the role of Vice President for Outreach on July 1. Dr. Weideman was introduced at the Cooperative Extension Leadership Uplink in July and shared his thoughts about how we can achieve the full promise of outreach through leadership, entrepreneurship, excellent service, and community and learning. Please welcome Craig to Penn State and our outreach family.

Ag Progress Days
Ag Progress Days will be held August 19-21 at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs. The College of Agricultural Sciences displays will showcase our latest research and educational programs. We are expecting Governor Rendell to speak at Wednesday's luncheon. One of the themed exhibits, "Seeing the Forest for the Trees," will highlight research and educational programs that benefit our forests. The event will also feature traditional activities, several new tours, and displays by more than 350 commercial exhibitors. Ag Progress Days becomes a reality through the hard work and efforts of many faculty and staff. If your schedule allows, we encourage you to take advantage of this event. More details are available on the Web at apd.cas.psu.edu/.

Search for Director
With the announcement of Ted Alter's transition from his position as director of cooperative extension, a search committee is being formed by Vice President Weideman and Dean Steele to begin the search for a new director. Ted has agreed to serve in his present role as director of cooperative extension, associate dean of the college, and associate vice president for outreach until a new director is named.

State Budget Update
As you know, Governor Rendell's budget proposal calls for a 5 percent reduction for agricultural research and cooperative extension. Remember, it is essential to help our staff, faculty, and stakeholders see the bright future ahead, given our values, mission, expertise, and the important societal issues we address through our programming. We need to help each other reframe our work and its application to our future and not wear blinders from the past.

Change Agent States for Diversity
A team from Penn State participated in the Strategic Leadership for Diversity Forum held in June. The Penn State team included Ted, Daney, Jack, Marilyn, Brenda Bernatowicz, Mary Jo Depp-Nestlerode, and Michelle Rodgers, along with Beth McLaughlin, Bill Lamont, Patreese Ingram, Dennis Calvin, and Deno DeCiantis. They participated in the forum with a team from Cornell University, with facilitation from consultants from Elsie Y. Cross and Associates. The team reflected our organization's progress on this important initiative and worked on ideas to move us forward.

Coordinator for Emergency Response
David Filson, regional director for the South Central Region, has accepted responsibilities as coordinator for emergency response for Penn State Cooperative Extension. Dave will coordinate communication and interaction among extension administration, faculty, and field-based educators and other agencies, including the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security, and county emergency management agencies. He will also coordinate professional development opportunities for Penn State Cooperative Extension county emergency response contacts and regional emergency response teams.

PCCEA State Board Meeting
The PCCEA Annual Meeting was held last spring and the following new officers were elected: Nancy Hottle (Bucks County), President; Joan Roginski (Luzerne County), Vice President; and Rick Crouse (Adams County), Treasurer. The state board members are looking forward to frequent meetings and activities beginning this September. Activities include the PCCEA uplink on October 2, which gives the board members an opportunity to share their perspectives as new leaders, and a tailgate at the Ag Arena before the Penn State vs. Ohio State football game on November 1.

County Extension Advisory Committee Working Group
This working group-Daney, Marilyn, Brenda Bernatowicz, Dave Filson, Lee Young, Robin Rex, Nancy Hottle (PCCEA), and Rick Crouse (PCCEA)-held their first conference call recently. The group's charge is to examine our county extension association and advisory committee structure, guidelines, bylaws, and support materials. They will update and supplement these materials to support county extension directors and advisory group efforts to support the extension mission. Director Alter expects this work to be completed before the County Extension Directors' Leadership Institute and the state PCCEA meetings are held.

Regional/Multi-state Discussions
Ted Alter and Bruce McPheron, associate dean for research and director of Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station, spent two days at the Northeast Deans and Directors' Meeting in Princeton, New Jersey, in mid-June. At this meeting they were able to continue conversations with regional partners about multi-state research, extension, and teaching opportunities. There is active interest in possibilities involving tree fruit, but a variety of other potential topics of interest to various states are under discussion.

2003 4-H Ambassador Conference
Several of us had the opportunity to visit with some outstanding young people participating in the Ambassador Conference held in June. We were very impressed by the quality of the young people we met-they will make great ambassadors for the 4-H program. The Ambassador Program is designed to help 4-H members 15 to 18 years of age develop public speaking and practical skills and increase their social skills, self-confidence, and responsibility. One of the participants in last year's conference commented, "Having gone to the Ambassador Conference has given me the chance to meet county commissioners and state representatives I normally wouldn't have gotten to meet. Also, I have developed my skills in speaking in front of groups."

Grant and Contract Award Activity
New grant and contract awards that were fully executed between July 1, 2001, and June 30, 2002, in which an extension staff member was the principal investigator, numbered 65, in the amount of $1,893,857. Eighty-two new awards were fully executed from July 1, 2002, to the present, in the amount of $5,149,875. This does not include the academic units' extension work. Our state program leaders and regional directors are providing extraordinary leadership in this area. The staff who perform pre- and post-award activities in support of these efforts are also key to past and future success. Kudos to field-based educators who are stepping up to the plate to meet the challenge of diversifying our funding portfolio!

Program Updates and New Directions
Creating Health
The next Creating Health topic will be Childhood Overweight Issues. The overall emphasis will be on active living, eating in normal and healthy ways, and creating a nurturing environment that helps children recognize their own worth and that respects cultural foodways and family traditions. Since we are in the early stages of planning, WPSX-TV show dates have not been determined. The fall in-service will have a session on Childhood Obesity in which many helpful resources will be shared.

Water Resources
A team of county educators, faculty, and extension associates are planning a water in-service this October. The in-service will feature a panel of representatives from the National Resources Conservation Service, the State Conservation Commission, and the Department of Environmental Protection for discussions with attendees. This will be an opportunity for county educators who work in areas associated with agricultural and natural resource issues that go beyond just water issues to interact with state agency representatives about issues of mutual concern that affect water resources, including the development of stronger collaborative efforts.

October In-Service
Proposals for the October In-Service are in! There is quite a breadth of offerings this year, with topics ranging from business planning to air quality, and from geospatial technology to collaboration tools. We encourage you to give attention to the offerings when they become available. In addition, just as the dairy extension group worked with others in the mid-Atlantic region to provide an outstanding training this past June, a number of extension in-services in other program areas are planned this fall. As you become aware of these in your expertise area, and if they are hosted by Penn State Cooperative Extension, we encourage you to contact Amy Gregor at agregor@psu.edu or Beth McLaughlin at bqm9@psu.edu to have them posted on the Staff Development Web site.

Well Done

A team of extension faculty and county educators in the Southwest and South Central Regions were recently awarded a USDA special grant for $250,000 to develop an agricultural entrepreneurship program. Congratulations to Jack Watson, Tom Ford, Brenda Bernatowicz, Dave Filson, Don Fretts, Gary Sheppard, Jeff Hyde, Lee Young, Bob Pollock, and Tim Kelsey. Initially, an agent position funded on this grant will be located in the Indiana County office to serve a number of counties.

In Lackawanna County, Karen Thomas, family and consumer science agent, and Evie Vitali, youth nutrition agent, conceived, developed, and conducted a weeklong summer youth camp based on 4-H projects covering food, nutrition, fitness, food safety, and fun. The agents partnered with Mary Ellen Jolley of Continuing Education at Penn State Worthington Scranton, who procured funds from the Outreach Partnership Fund to help support the pilot project. The camp filled to capacity and the 24 participating kids loved learning and cooking quick, easy, and nutritious recipes. Of course, they really loved eating their creations, as did over 40 parents who came for a graduation meal prepared by their newly inspired chefs. The participants and parents gave the camp five stars.

Please send your nominations for Well Done to Margaret Koble by October 15 so we can highlight a noteworthy extension education effort by an individual or team in our November issue.

We Are Penn State Extension Proud

Congratulations to Nancy Stephenson and Robert Brown of Penn State Cooperative Extension in Bucks County on receiving the College of Agricultural Sciences 2003 Diversity Achievement Award! These two extension agents developed 4-H clubs targeting low-income, minority populations. From Buffalo Soldiers, a horse program for abused children, to Fleetwing Typers, which uses 4-H computer projects, to Platinum Steppers, a dance troupe, Nancy and Bob have collaborated with community-based organizations and used volunteers and program assistants to provide innovative programming for underserved audiences. An article about these staff members and the award appeared in the March issue of Ag Sciences 2003.

Congratulations to Frasier Zahniser, Robin Rex, and Chester Hughes, recipients of the Ruth and Robert O'Connor Scholarship for 2003! The purpose of this scholarship is to provide recognition and financial assistance to Penn State Cooperative Extension agents who wish to pursue graduate degrees related to their extension responsibilities or area of expertise. Frasier is an extension agent in Mercer County; Robin is county extension director in Columbia County; and Chester is an extension agent in Lancaster County. Best wishes to each of you as you undertake your graduate work!

Please send your nominations to Margaret Koble by October 15 so that we can recognize an outstanding accomplishment of an extension employee in our November issue.

The Extension Spirit

Challenging times can motivate us in all kinds of ways. As we continue to work through the state budget crisis, it is important to look for ways to support each other so we can all continue to serve our audiences to the best of our ability. This section of the newsletter shares the thoughts of extension professionals as they look beyond the current budget situation to new opportunities. Thoughts and comments that help others to maintain a positive perspective while facing these difficult times will be featured. This is more than just a column about surviving the budget crisis-it is a place where extension professionals can offer insight on their work and the rewards of working for extension. We hope you will watch for the Extension Spirit column as a feature in this newsletter and hope that you will find the comments of your co-workers motivational and insightful.

In this issue, Marilyn Corbin, associate director and state program leader for children, youth, and families, describes the extension work ethic she learned throughout her career and shares her thoughts on the importance of putting our audiences first.

Taking the University to the People

When Cooperative Extension was started, its mission was very clear: Take the university to the people. We were to do our best to communicate practical information from the university to agricultural producers, rural and urban communities, consumers and families. Programs focused on crop and livestock production, helpful and practical advice for farm wives, and improving communities and towns through leadership and community development. 4-H programs focused on farm youth who would work in agriculture and become community leaders. Extension programs conducted through civic clubs and organizations shared information and promoted social interaction in rural communities.

Since the middle of the last century, extension has worked more and more with urban and suburban residents, and has adjusted its methods as the rural population desires different ways to receive educational information. In the 1960s and 70s, extension looked at its programming with an eye on the state's changing demographics. Agricultural Extension became Cooperative Extension to indicate that our programs were not limited to the farming community.

Today, advice to farmers about crop and dairy production is accompanied by advice to homeowners about lawns and ornamentals. Other kinds of agricultural production issues have appeared, including sustainable farming practices, water quality, value-added food products, food safety for nonprofit organizations, and food from farm to table.

Family-living programs include family resiliency strategies, money and credit management, nutrition education, and other advice for limited-resource urban households. 4-H has expanded to include a variety of educational activities for youth in urban and suburban settings, with an emphasis on many life skills beyond farming. In the 21st century, youth development has become a movement focusing on character education and service learning, to name just a couple of new initiatives. Community development programs focus on tax reform, workforce development, e-commerce, and civic participation.

Community volunteers, such as our dedicated extension advisory committee members, 4-H leaders, and Master Gardeners are a great asset to extension. We also depend on valuable partnerships with libraries, health departments, schools, food pantries, and child care centers. Extension has been effective in communicating about new state and federal programs and regulations, such as pesticide, environmental, and food safety issues. Today we are also addressing emergency readiness in response to changes in our world.

Many of you are very familiar with this history and story, but I offer it to say that extension needs to reflect on the past, learn from it, and move forward several steps. As you consider the future opportunities and challenges for extension, I suggest to you that our greatest strength is the inherent credibility of our original mission-that is, disseminating practical, research-based information from the university. When our programs are focused and innovative, and respond to critical issues that fit the mission, we are quite effective and have a significant impact on the lives of our citizens.

Cooperative Extension agents are educators, but we cannot be a generalist on every topic. The world has become much more specialized. So, we need to ask:

What do we do best? What should we pass on to others? What type of staffing and training do we need to support? What critical programs really fit our fundamental mission and our role as educators? Which societal, economic, and environmental issues should we concentrate on?

Take a look at our original mission-disseminating practical information from the university to the community. What other knowledge does the university have that we need to deliver to our communities? What problems do our communities have that can be solved with university assistance? Cooperative Extension has a valuable role to link the university to the people of the state.

Extension has served the farming community for many years, and will continue to do so. However, now we have even more opportunities to work with community agencies and leaders and expand programs to suburban and urban populations. I see extension transforming into a careful information disseminator and community catalyst, one that works with community and state partners to more effectively deliver educational information through a variety of technology-based media. We will still be taking information to the people, but we also will be delivering it in new ways and with and through new program partners.

Please send your nominations for The Extension Spirit to Margaret Koble by October 15 so that we can share an inspirational story or work experience in our November issue.

Leadership Thoughts

"I would have learning more widely disseminated," said Justin S. Morrill, the Vermont legislator and author of the land-grant movement.

We have disseminated it.

Our institutions should be "the public's universities" in the words of Abraham Lincoln, one of the fathers of public higher education.

They have been.

The ideals of Morrill and Lincoln beckon us still.

Reference: RENEWING THE COVENANT Learning, Discovery, and Engagement in a New Age and Different World, Kellogg Commission on the Future of State and Land-Grant Universities, March 2002.